Stressing that the arrangement does not restrict Philippine sovereign rights or jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday, Aug. 11, defended the Provisional Understanding on Rotation and Resupply (RORE) missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

In a statement, DFA Spokesperson for Maritime Affairs Rogelio Villanueva Jr. emphasized that the Philippines remains aware of its fundamental differences with China, particularly regarding the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea.

The award upheld the Philippines’ rights and jurisdiction over its maritime entitlements in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), including those arising from Ayungin Shoal, according to the department.

The DFA said the Provisional Understanding was “crafted expressly without prejudice” to the 2016 Arbitral Award.

Moreover, the DFA noted that the arrangement covers only the principles and approaches governing the rotation of Philippine personnel and the resupply of essential materials to the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine military outpost grounded on Ayungin Shoal.

“It does not, and never did, restrict or limit the exercise of Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction under international law,” the DFA said.

The department also pushed back against criticism from retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio regarding the implementation of the RORE arrangement.

The DFA said Carpio’s proposed alternatives, including airdrops, drones, and fast boats, had already been studied and evaluated by relevant government agencies.

“His proposed alternatives, such as airdrops, drones, [and] fast boats, were studied and weighed before and throughout the Provisional Understanding’s implementation,” the DFA said.

The DFA also invited Carpio to raise his proposals directly with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which it said are in the best position to assess their operational feasibility.

The DFA stressed that the Provisional Understanding was crafted with the knowledge of the highest levels of the Philippine government.

It added that 15 RORE missions have been conducted without incident under the arrangement.

The department said these missions were possible through the full knowledge and coordination of the AFP and PCG.

Planning and execution—including scheduling, routes, vessel deployment, and determining the supplies and personnel to be brought to the BRP Sierra Madre—fall under the mandate of the security sector, not the DFA, it said.

“Accordingly, the Department defers to the security sector on the Understanding’s continued implementation, should they deem this necessary,” the DFA said.

“There is no intention to replicate the arrangement elsewhere in the Philippine maritime domain,” it added.

The DFA said it would continue defending Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.

“The Department will continue its work—meticulous, deliberate, and undeterred—in defense of the national interest and Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” it said.

The DFA said it issued the clarification amid “continued commentary” on the provisional arrangement.

The department also noted that some of the commentary contained inaccuracies that could have been resolved by reviewing its previous statements.

“Commentary of this kind, offered in good faith, is a healthy and welcome part of journalistic scrutiny,” the DFA said.

However, the DFA drew a distinction between legitimate scrutiny and what it described as the “deliberate sowing of doubt and division” intended to cast aspersions on the government’s work in the national interest.

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https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/07/dfa-ayungin-resupply-understanding-requires-no-permission-from-china